Candleholder

ABSTRACT

A candleholder ( 20 ) for receiving disk-shaped candles, in particular tea candles, has a receiving body ( 21 ); and an envelope body ( 22 ) implemented independently of the receiving body, and which is an annular sleeve having a substantially L-shaped or U-shaped cross-section, and includes an envelope shell ( 40 ) that covers a peripheral surface ( 39 ) of the receiving body, an annular envelope disc that covers the top side of the receiving body, and an envelope border that borders an inner margin of a receiving opening of the receiving body, wherein the bottom side of the receiving body is provided with a centering projection protruding from an annular stacking base of the receiving body, and the outer centering diameter thereof corresponds to an inner centering diameter of the envelope border, and wherein the envelope disc of the envelope body has a cross-sectional profile that corresponds to a cross-sectional profile of the stacking base.

This is a National Phase Application in the United States of International Patent Application No. PCT/EP2008/067743 filed Dec. 17, 2008, which claims priority on German Patent Application No. 10 2007 061 151.1, filed Dec. 17, 2007. The entire disclosures of the above patent applications are hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a candleholder for receiving disc-shaped candles, in particular tea lights, having a receiving body and an envelope body designed independently of the receiving body which is designed as an annular sleeve having a substantially L-shaped or U-shaped cross-section with an envelope shell covering a peripheral surface of the receiving body, an annular envelope disc covering the top side of the receiving body and an envelope border bordering an inner rim of a receiving opening of the receiving body, wherein the bottom side of the receiving body is provided with a centering extension protruding from an annular stacking base of the receiving body, and the outer centering diameter of which corresponds to an inner centering diameter of the envelope border, and wherein the envelope disc of the envelope body has a cross-sectional profile which corresponds to a cross-sectional profile of the stacking base.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Candleholders which are used to receive disc-shaped candles, in particular tea lights, have many known embodiments and are increasingly used not only purely functionally for heating food or beverages by means of tea lights received in the candleholders, but also for creating individually designed lighting effects. The known candleholders are usually presumed to be equipped with a lit tea light in order to achieve an aesthetic effect. Candleholders not equipped with tea lights or lit tea lights are usually correspondingly unattractive as regards their external effect resulting in unused candleholders being stored away and positioned in exposed places only when actually used.

The present invention is based on the requirement to propose a candleholder for receiving disc-shaped candles, in particular tea lights, which gives an aesthetically attractive effect even without a tea light and, in particular, provides for an aesthetically looking arrangement in an exposed position.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This requirement is met in that the candleholder, according to the present invention, exhibits the features of a first embodiment, wherein a candleholder (20, 52) for receiving disc-shaped candles, in particular tea lights (51), is provided with a receiving body (21, 53) and an envelope body (22,54) provided independently of the receiving body, which envelope body is formed as an annular sleeve with a substantially L-shaped or U-shaped cross-section (75) and including an envelope shell (40, 68) covering a peripheral surface (39, 70) of the receiving body, and an annular envelope disc (46) covering the top side of the receiving body and an envelope border (42, 66) bordering an inner rim (45, 59) of a receiving opening (41, 60) of the receiving body, wherein the receiving body, on its underside, is provided with a centering extension (28) protruding from an annularly shaped stacking base (27) of the receiving body, and the outer centering diameter (d) of which corresponds to an inner centering diameter (D) of the envelope border, and wherein the envelope disc of the envelope body has a cross-sectional profile which corresponds to a cross-sectional profile of the stacking base. In accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention, the first embodiment is modified so that the envelope disc (46) of the envelope body (22, 54) has a convex profile that corresponds to a concave cross-sectional profile of the stacking base (27).

In accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention, the first embodiment and the second embodiment are further modified so that the envelope body (22, 54) is manufactured from a sheet metal blank and the receiving body (21, 53) is manufactured from a plastic material. In accordance with a fourth embodiment of the invention, the first embodiment, the second embodiment and the third embodiment are further modified so that the receiving body (21, 53) has a central receiving chamber (23, 61) and an annular chamber (24) arranged concentrically to the receiving chamber with an outer shell wall (32) and an inner shell wall (31), which is U-shaped in cross-section, is limited at a lower axial end by the stacking base (27) and at the upper axial end has an annularly shaped access opening. In accordance with a fifth embodiment of the present invention, the fourth embodiment is further modified so that the annular chamber (24) serves to receive an annularly shaped ballast device (25, 55).

In accordance with a sixth embodiment of the present invention, the first embodiment, the second embodiment, the third embodiment, the fourth embodiment, and the fifth embodiments are further modified so that the envelope body (22, 54) is arranged on the receiving body (21, 53) such that the receiving body, with a peripheral rim (73) of the stacking base (27), protrudes beyond a bottom edge (48, 67) of the envelope shell (42, 66). In accordance with a seventh embodiment of the present invention, the sixth embodiment is further modified so that the envelope body (22, 54) is provided with an inside-lying locking edge (49, 69) arranged on the bottom edge (48, 67) of the envelope shell (40, 68), which locking edge makes it possible to lock the envelope body to the receiving body with a corresponding locking device (50, 71) arranged on a peripheral surface (39, 70) of the receiving body (21, 53). In accordance with an eighth embodiment of the present invention, the first embodiment, the second embodiment, the third embodiment, the fourth embodiment, the fifth embodiment, the sixth embodiment, and the seventh embodiment are further modified so that the envelope body (22), with a bottom edge (43) of the envelope border (42) rest on an annularly shaped shoulder (44) on the inner rim (45) of the receiving opening (41) of the receiving body (21).

In accordance with a ninth embodiment of the present invention, the first embodiment, the second embodiment, the third embodiment, the fourth embodiment, the fifth embodiment, the sixth embodiment and the seventh embodiment are further modified so that the receiving body (53) is provided with a beaker insert (56) insertable into the receiving opening (60). In accordance with a tenth embodiment of the present invention, the ninth embodiment is further modified so that the beaker insert (56) has a flange-shaped beaker rim (57) which rests on an annularly shaped shoulder (58) on the inner rim (59) of the receiving opening (60). In accordance with an eleventh embodiment of the present invention, the tenth embodiment is further modified so that the envelope body (54) rests with a bottom edge (65) of the envelope border (66) on the beaker rim (57). In accordance with a twelfth embodiment of the present invention, the ninth embodiment, the tenth embodiment, and the eleventh embodiment are further modified so that the beaker insert (56) is manufactured from a sheet metal blank.

More generally, the candleholder according to the invention comprises a receiving body provided with a receiving opening which allows a disc-shaped candle, in particular a tea light, to be inserted into the receiving body. The receiving body is provided with an envelope body which, apart from an envelope shell, forms an envelope disc and an envelope border and which covers the otherwise visible external surfaces of the receiving body. Thus, it is due to the envelope body that it is possible to design the visible surfaces of the candleholder, which influence or define the aesthetic effect, in particular independently of the material of the envelope body, in order to select surface designs that the material of the receiving body does not allow.

In addition, the receiving body is designed in such a way as to provide it with an exposed centering extension which is shaped to correspond to the envelope border or the diameter of the receiving opening defined by the envelope border. Due to this fact it is possible to combine the candleholder according to the invention with similarly shaped candleholders to form a stacking arrangement, which makes it possible to produce pillar-shaped groups from the candleholder according to the invention which, on the one hand, permits a tidy orderly arrangement of a plurality of candleholders thus allowing a plurality of candleholders to be stored even in exposed places in an aesthetically pleasing way. On the other hand, the stackability of the candleholders makes it possible to arrange a plurality of candleholders in a variety of formations, thereby allowing individually shaped sculptural arrangements to be designed and thus leaving it to the user of the candleholders to arrange them in creative ways for use as decorative accessories independently of their actual purpose for use. There are virtually no limits as to how creative the user can be, since the implementation of the envelope body, which is independent of the receiving body, also allows different surface designs or different colour effects of the stacked combinations of candleholders to be produced.

If, according to a preferred embodiment, the envelope disc of the envelope body has a convex cross-sectional profile that corresponds to a concave cross-sectional profile of the stacking base, this will allow the candleholders to be stacked on top of each other without any light gaps, on the one hand. On the other hand, it makes the candleholder very solid to look at due to the convex design of the envelope disc, independently of the material chosen for the envelope body.

Furthermore, it is particularly advantageous if the envelope body is made from a sheet metal blank and the receiving body is made from a plastic material. In this way it is possible, on the one hand, to choose a material for the receiving body independently of the aesthetic effect determined by the exterior of the candleholder, which is very easy to process using a form-giving process such as an injection-moulding process. In addition, if the envelope body is produced from a sheet metal blank, this will provide not only for ease of production in a mass-production process such as deep-drawing, but also, due to the choice of sheet metal as material for the envelope body, for the production of high-quality visible surfaces and with colour effects which are not possible on a plastic carrier due to incompatibilities, for example.

If the receiving body comprises a central candle receiving chamber and an annual chamber arranged concentrically to the receiving chamber with an outer shell wall and an inner shell wall which is U-shaped in cross-section, is limited by the stacking base at a lower axial end and comprises an annular access opening at the upper axial end, the candleholder—although having surfaces which on the outside appear to be closed on all sides—can be produced as a hollow element with a respective minimum of material input. In addition, the annular chamber produced in this way can be used for arranging further additional elements.

In a particularly preferred case, the annular chamber is used for receiving a preferably annularly shaped ballast device so that independently of the choice of material for the receiving body a relatively high weight can be imparted to the candleholder in order to be able to achieve a correspondingly high-quality appearance. In addition, the annular chamber may be provided with, either instead of or in addition to, further additional elements, such as scent-emitting inserts making the candleholder attractive not only with regard to its aesthetic appearance but in addition also offering the possibility of producing pleasing smells.

If the envelope body is arranged on the receiving body in such a way that the receiving body protrudes with a peripheral rim of the stacking base beyond a bottom edge of the envelope shell of the envelope body, then it is possible for candleholders stacked on top of one another to produce an aesthetically looking shadow gap between individual candleholders without restricting a secure stacking arrangement in any way.

To ensure a very simple, but nevertheless loss-proof assembly of the envelope body on the receiving body, it is advantageous if the envelope body is provided with a locking edge provided inside the bottom edge of the envelope shell, which locking edge, together with a corresponding locking device provided on a peripheral surface of the receiving body, allows the envelope body to be locked to the receiving body.

Particularly, in order to form an abutment for locking the envelope body to the receiving body, it is advantageous if the envelope body, with a bottom edge of the envelope border, rests against an annularly shaped shoulder on the inner rim of the receiving opening of the receiving body so as to ensure that a face formed between the envelope border and the receiving body on the inner rim of the receiving opening does not have a gap which could detract from the high-quality appearance of the candleholder.

If with a further preferred embodiment the receiving body is provided with a beaker insert that can be inserted into the receiving opening, then the impression of an altogether solid implementation of the candleholder made of metal can be created, even for a candleholder not provided with a tea light and thus allowing the viewer a free view into the receiving opening of the receiving body.

For a defined arrangement of the beaker insert in the receiving opening of the candleholder, it is particularly advantageous if the beaker insert has a flange-shaped beaker rim that rests on an annular-shaped shoulder on the inner rim of the receiving opening.

A loss-proof and simple-to-execute assembly or arrangement of the beaker insert in the candleholder becomes possible if the envelope body rests with a bottom edge of the envelope border on the beaker rim supported against the inner rim of the receiving opening.

Both with regard to a simple manufacture of the beaker insert and a multitude of design possibilities regarding the surface of the beaker insert it has proven to be advantageous if the beaker insert is made from a sheet metal blank.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following preferred embodiments of the candleholder will be explained with reference to the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of a candleholder according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of the receiving body of the candleholder shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows the candleholder of FIG. 1 in an assembled state and as a sectional view;

FIG. 4 shows an enlarged view of a partial area IV of an inner rim of a receiving opening of the candleholder depicted in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 shows an enlarged view of a partial area V of a peripheral rim of the receiving body of the candleholder of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 shows a candleholder according to a further embodiment in an exploded view;

FIG. 7 a receiving body of the candleholder depicted in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 shows the candleholder depicted in FIG. 6 in an assembled state and as a sectional view;

FIG. 9 shows an enlarged view of a partial area IX of an inner rim of a receiving opening of the candleholder depicted in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 shows an enlarged view of a partial area X of a lower peripheral rim of the receiving body of the candleholder of FIG. 8; and

FIG. 11 shows a stacking arrangement formed of candleholders stacked on top of each other.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENITON

FIG. 1 shows a candleholder 20 with a receiving body formed here of a plastic material, for example poly carbonate (PC), and with an envelope body 22 formed here of a sheet metal blank, in particular aluminium sheet, which, as revealed in particular in the illustration of FIG. 2, comprises, concentrically to a central receiving chamber 23 serving to receive a tea light 51 (FIG. 3), an annular chamber 24 which serves to receive a ballast device 25 (FIG. 1) which in this instance is shaped annularly.

As revealed in particular, when viewing FIGS. 1 and 2 together, the receiving body 21 comprises, on its underside, a stacking base 27 opposite an access side 26 permitting free access to the receiving chamber 23 and the annular chamber 24, which stacking base 27 in a central area has a centering extension 28 with an annular web 29 extending in a downward direction from the stacking base 27. In an area of the stacking base 27 arranged concentrically to the centering extension 28, which limits the annular chamber 24, is formed an annular stacking surface 30 with a concave contour on the surface of the stacking base 27.

Further, when viewing FIGS. 1 and 2 together, axially extending web strips 33 or 34 can be seen on opposite shell surfaces 31, 32 radially limiting the annular chamber 24, which ledges, when the annularly shaped ballast device 25 is inserted, come into pressing contact with shell surfaces 35, 36 of the ballast device 25 and are deformed. This results in the ballast device 25 being clampingly received in the receiving body 21 while securing its position in the annular chamber 24. In order to further enhance this clamping effect, as illustrated in FIG. 1, a clamping web 37 formed on the shell inside surface 35 of the ballast device 25 may be additionally provided which extends circumferentially on the shell surface 35.

In the case of the present embodiment, a plurality of axially extending web strips 38 arranged closely adjacent to one another, are provided on a peripheral surface 39 of the receiving body 21, which as revealed in particular in FIG. 3, come to rest against an inner surface of an envelope shell 40 covering the peripheral surface 39 of the receiving body in order to achieve clamping forces during placement of the envelope body 22 on the receiving body 21. In the assembled state, the envelope body 22 with the envelope shell 40 is pushed onto the receiving body 21 to such an extent that an envelope border 42 of the envelope body 22 bordering a receiving opening 41 of the receiving chamber 23 rests with its bottom edge 43 on an annularly shaped shoulder 44 on an inner rim 45 of the receiving opening 41, as revealed in particular in FIG. 4.

As furthermore shown in FIG. 3, the envelope body 22 in the present embodiment is shaped as an annular sleeve having a U-shaped annular cross-section 75 the shanks of which are of unequal length due to, on the one hand, the envelope shell 40 and due to the envelope border 42 on the other, and which are connected with each other via a base formed by an envelope disc 46. When placing or pushing the envelope body 22 onto the receiving body 21 and after the bottom edge 43 of the envelope border 42 comes to rest against the shoulder 44, an elastic deformation of the envelope body 22 takes place in the direction of an assembly force 47 indicated in FIG. 3, such that the envelope shell 40 is displaced against the spring action of the envelope disc 46 parallel to the envelope border 42 until, as shown in FIG. 5, a locking edge 49 formed on a bottom edge 48 of the envelope shell 40 locks behind a locking web 50 extending circumferentially in sections on the peripheral surface 39 of the receiving body 21, as revealed in particular in FIG. 1.

As revealed in particular in FIG. 3, which shows a tea light 51 drawn as a broken line inside the receiving body 21, the height h_(s) of the envelope border 42 is dimensioned such that the bottom edge 43 of the envelope border is covered by the tea light 51. The result of this is that the candleholder 20 equipped with a tea light 51 gives the impression when viewed from the outside as if it were constructed in one piece. In addition, if the envelope body 22 is manufactured from a sheet metal blank, a solid looking, and thus high-quality, appearance of the candleholder 20 is achieved, in particular, due to the convex surface contour of the envelope disc 46.

As further revealed in FIG. 3 which shows, as a broken line, the adjoining contour of a further candleholder 20 arranged in stacking contact according to a stacking arrangement 72 shown in FIG. 11, the outer centering diameter d of the centering extension 28 is formed so as to correspond to the inner centering diameter D of the envelope border 42, in order to produce the stacking contact. In addition, the convex surface of the envelope disc 46 moulds itself to the concave stacking surface 30 of the stacking base 27.

FIG. 6 shows a candleholder 52, which is essentially different from the candleholder 20 already discussed in FIGS. 1 to 5 in that a beaker insert 56 is provided as a further component of the candleholder 52 in addition to a receiving body 53, an envelope body 54 and ballast device 55.

As revealed, in particular when viewing FIGS. 8 and 9 together, the beaker insert 56 is provided with a flange-type shaped beaker rim 57 extending radially towards the outside, which is used for positively arranging the beaker insert 56 in a receiving chamber 61 of the receiving body 53. To this effect, the beaker rim 57 rests on, and is supported by, an annular circumferentially formed shoulder 58 on the inner rim 59 of a receiving opening 60 of the receiving body 53. A radially secure positioning arrangement of the beaker insert 56 in the receiving chamber 61 is achieved by the interaction of clamping webs 63 extending axially on an inner surface 62 of the receiving chamber 61, which, when the beaker insert 56 is arranged in the receiving chamber 61, rest against a peripheral surface 64 of the candleholder 52.

As further revealed when viewing FIGS. 8 and 9 together, the envelope body 54 is axially supported with a bottom edge 65 of its envelope border 66 against the beaker rim 57, which in turn is supported by the shoulder 58, as discussed above. In other respects, as shown in FIG. 10, the securely positioning, locking reception or arrangement of the envelope body 54 on the receiving body 53 is identical to the arrangement of the envelope body 22 on the receiving body 21 of candleholder 20 such that a locking edge 69 formed on a bottom edge 67 of an envelope shell 68 of the envelope body 54 locks with a locking shoulder 71 formed on a peripheral surface 70 of the receiving body 53.

In other respects, the embodiments of the envelope body 54 and the receiving body 53 of candleholder 52 are essentially identical to the embodiments of the envelope body 22 and the receiving body 21 of candleholder 20 and they are, therefore, given correspondingly identical reference numbers in FIGS. 6 to 10.

As revealed in FIG. 8, the receiving chamber 61 can be given a surface design that is altogether different from the material of receiving body 53 due to the additional beaker insert 56. As opposed to forming the receiving body 53 from a plastic, the beaker insert 56 may be formed from a sheet metal blank corresponding to envelope body 54 and, thus, impart to the candleholder including the receiving chamber 61 a metallic and correspondingly high-quality appearance without, as in the case in the illustration in FIG. 3 and with reference to the candleholder 20 for covering non-metallic surface areas, having to arrange a tea light 51 in the receiving chamber 61.

FIG. 11 shows a stacking arrangement 72 formed from a plurality of candleholders 20 or 52, which is placed on a stand-up base 76. Due to the fact that, as revealed in FIGS. 3 and 8, a peripheral rim 73 of the stacking base 27 protrudes beyond the bottom edge 48 or 67 of the envelops shell 40 or 68, a shadow gap 74 is formed between, respectively, two adjacent candleholders 20 or 52 in the stacking arrangement 72 shown in FIG. 11. With this arrangement, a projection formed by the protruding portion of the stacking base 27 is chosen such that it corresponds to the projection z formed by the centering extension 28 in relation to the stacking base 27, with the result that shadow gaps 74 are formed between the stand-up base 76 in FIG. 11 and the lowest candleholder 20 or 52 disposed in the stacking arrangement 72, as well as between the adjacent candleholders 20 or 52, which impart an aesthetically looking structure to the stacking arrangement. 

1. A candleholder for receiving disc-shaped candles, in particular tea lights, wherein the candleholder comprises: (a) a receiving body; and (b) an envelope body provided independently of the receiving body, wherein the envelope body is formed as an annular sleeve with a substantially L-shaped or U-shaped cross-section and includes i. an envelope shell covering a peripheral surface of the receiving body; ii. an annular envelope disc covering a top side of the receiving body and; iii. an envelope border bordering an inner rim of a receiving opening of the receiving body, wherein on an underside of the receiving body a centering extension protrudes from an annularly shaped stacking base of the receiving body, wherein an outer centering diameter (d) of the centering extension corresponds to an inner centering diameter (D) of the envelope border, and wherein the envelope disc of the envelope body has a cross-sectional profile that corresponds to a cross-sectional profile of the stacking base.
 2. A candleholder according to claim 1, wherein the envelope disc of the envelope body has a convex profile that corresponds to a concave cross-sectional profile of the stacking base.
 3. A candleholder according to claim 1, wherein the envelope body is manufactured from a sheet metal blank and the receiving body is manufactured from a plastic material.
 4. A candleholder according to claim 1, wherein the receiving body has a central receiving chamber, and an annular chamber arranged concentrically to the receiving chamber with an outer shell wall and an inner shell wall, wherein the annular chamber is U-shaped in cross-section and is limited at a lower axial end by the stacking base and is limited at an upper axial end has an annularly shaped access opening.
 5. A candleholder according to claim 4, wherein the annular chamber serves to receive an annularly shaped ballast device.
 6. A candleholder according to claim 1, wherein the envelope body is arranged on the receiving body so such that the receiving body, along with a peripheral rim of the stacking base, protrudes beyond a bottom edge of the envelope shell.
 7. A candleholder according to claim 6, wherein the envelope body is provided with an inside-lying locking edge arranged on the bottom edge of the envelope shell, wherein the locking edge makes possible locking of the envelope body to the receiving body with a corresponding locking device arranged on a peripheral surface of the receiving body.
 8. A candleholder according to claim 1, wherein the envelope body, with a bottom edge of the envelope border, rest on an annularly shaped shoulder on the inner rim of the receiving opening of the receiving body.
 9. A candleholder according to claim 1, wherein the receiving body is provided with a beaker insert insertable into the receiving opening.
 10. A candleholder according to claim 9, wherein the beaker insert has a flange-shaped beaker rim that which rests on an annularly shaped shoulder on the inner rim of the receiving opening.
 11. A candleholder according to claim 10, wherein the envelope body rests with a bottom edge of the envelope border on the beaker rim.
 12. A candleholder according to claim 9, wherein the beaker insert is manufactured from a sheet metal blank.
 13. A candleholder according to claim 2, wherein the envelope body is manufactured from a sheet metal blank and the receiving body is manufactured from a plastic material.
 14. A candleholder according to claim 2, wherein the receiving body has a central receiving chamber, and an annular chamber arranged concentrically to the receiving chamber with an outer shell wall and an inner shell wall, wherein the annular chamber is U-shaped in cross-section and is limited at a lower axial end by the stacking base and is limited at an upper axial end has an annularly shaped access opening.
 15. A candleholder according to claim 3, wherein the receiving body has a central receiving chamber, and an annular chamber arranged concentrically to the receiving chamber with an outer shell wall and an inner shell wall, wherein the annular chamber is U-shaped in cross-section and is limited at a lower axial end by the stacking base and is limited at an upper axial end has an annularly shaped access opening.
 16. A candleholder according to claim 13, wherein the receiving body has a central receiving chamber, and an annular chamber arranged concentrically to the receiving chamber with an outer shell wall and an inner shell wall, wherein the annular chamber is U-shaped in cross-section and is limited at a lower axial end by the stacking base and is limited at an upper axial end has an annularly shaped access opening. 